Mark 2:2

And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) No, not so much as about the door.—Another of St. Mark’s graphic touches of description.

He preached the word.—Literally, He spake the word.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:1-12 It was this man's misery that he needed to be so carried, and shows the suffering state of human life; it was kind of those who so carried him, and teaches the compassion that should be in men, toward their fellow-creatures in distress. True faith and strong faith may work in various ways; but it shall be accepted and approved by Jesus Christ. Sin is the cause of all our pains and sicknesses. The way to remove the effect, is to take away the cause. Pardon of sin strikes at the root of all diseases. Christ proved his power to forgive sin, by showing his power to cure the man sick of the palsy. And his curing diseases was a figure of his pardoning sin, for sin is the disease of the soul; when it is pardoned, it is healed. When we see what Christ does in healing souls, we must own that we never saw the like. Most men think themselves whole; they feel no need of a physician, therefore despise or neglect Christ and his gospel. But the convinced, humbled sinner, who despairs of all help, excepting from the Saviour, will show his faith by applying to him without delay.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

So much as about the door - In the "court" or "yard" before the door. They could not get near enough to hear him.

Preached the word unto them - The word of God; the revelation or doctrine which he came to deliver, called "the Word," and "the Word of God," because it was spoken or revealed by God. Compare Acts 6:2-7.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door—This is one of Mark's graphic touches. No doubt in this case, as the scene occurred at his informant's own door, these details are the vivid recollections of that honored disciple.

and he preached the word unto them—that is, indoors; but in the hearing, doubtless, of the multitude that pressed around. Had He gone forth, as He naturally would, the paralytic's faith would have had no such opportunity to display itself. Luke (Lu 5:17) furnishes an additional and very important incident in the scene—as follows: "And it came to pass on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town," or village, "of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem." This was the highest testimony yet borne to our Lord's growing influence, and the necessity increasingly felt by the ecclesiastics throughout the country of coming to some definite judgment regarding Him. "And the power of the Lord was [present] to heal them"—or, "was [efficacious] to heal them," that is, the sick that were brought before Him. So that the miracle that is now to be described was among the most glorious and worthy to be recorded of many then performed; and what made it so was doubtless the faith which was manifested in connection with it, and the proclamation of the forgiveness of the patient's sins that immediately preceded it.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Mark 2:1"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And straightway many were gathered together,.... From all parts of the city,

insomuch that there was no room to receive them; in the house: by which it should seem to be a large one, though not large enough to hold such a numerous company as were got together:

no, not so much as about the door; or the places before the door, the porch, the court, or courtyard. The crowd was so great, that neither the house, nor the out places before, could hold them, nor could they come even near the door;

and he preached the word unto them. The Ethiopic version renders it, "he spake his own word to them that came to him"; he preached the Gospel, the word of grace and truth, of life and salvation, to as many as could come near him, and were within the hearing of him. To me it seems, that our Lord went up into an upper room, and out of the window preached to the people, that were, in great numbers, without doors; and the following narrative seems to confirm this conjecture.

Geneva Study Bible

And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as {b} about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

(b) Neither the house nor the entry was able to hold them.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 2:2. συνήχθησαν πολλοὶ: with the extraordinary incidents of some weeks or months ago fresh in their memory, a great gathering of the townspeople was inevitable.—ὥστε, etc.: the gathering was phenomenal; not only the house filled, but the space round about the door crowded—no room for more people even there (μηδὲ), not to speak of within.—τὸν λόγον: the phrase has a secondary sound, as if an echo of the speech of the apostolic church, but the meaning is plain. Jesus was preaching the gospel of the kingdom when the following incident happened. Preaching always first.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. about the door] All the avenues of approach to the house were blocked up, and the courtyard or vestibule was filled.

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 2:2. Μηδὲ, not even) Not only the house within, but not even the hall, could contain them.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - Many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them (ὥστε μηκέτι χωρεῖν), no, not even about the door. The description is very graphic. The house could not contain them, and even its courtyard and approaches were inconveniently thronged. This is one of the many examples of minute observation of details, so observable in St. Mark's Gospel. And he preached (ἐλάλει) - more literally, was speaking - the word unto them. This little sentence indicates the great object of his ministry. The exercise of miraculous power was subordinated to this; the miracles being simply designed to fix the attention upon the Teacher as One sent from God. Mark 2:2